OKGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must
obtain the written consent of OKGenWeb State Coordinator.

Presentation here does not extend any permissions to the public. This
material can not be included in any compilation, publication,
collection, or other reproduction for profit without permission. Files
may be printed or copied for personal use only.
=====================================================================

JOHN B. POPE
Vol. 3, p. 996-97
Book has photo

The efficient and energetic postmaster at Heavener, Oklahoma, John
B. Pope, has been a resident of this city since 1907, and during this
time has established a record for commercial integrity, public
spirited citizenship and straightforward, conscientious service in
official life. His career has been one in which he has triumphed over
difficulties, and the not inconsiderable measure of success which he
has won has been fairly and honestly achieved.

Mr. Pope is a Texan by nativity, having been born on the family
ranch in Red River County, May 15, 1866, the second in order of birth
of the fifteen children of John B. and Sarah Elizabeth (TERRY) Pope.
The father a native of Tennessee, was but a lad when he accompanied
his parents to Texas, the long and tedious journey being made with
pack-horses. There he grew to manhood and met and married the mother,
who had, like himself, come to Texas as a child and in a like manner
although the state of her birth was Indiana. The father was a farmer
by vocation and was thus engaged when the war between the states came
on. He at once enlisted in a Texas regiment which joined the forces
of Gen. Joseph Shelby, and with which he served with gallant-during
the entire period of the conflict. On his return to the pursuits of
peace he resumed his operations as farmer, ranchman and stock raiser
and continued to be engaged in those vocations during the remainder
of his long, active and fairly successful life.

John B. Pope was reared on the home place in Red River County,
Texas, where, while gaining a good public school education, he
learned also the homely lesson of the virtues of honesty, integrity
and perseverance which have characterized his career and have enabled
him to battle against the handicap of poor health with a fair degree
of success. When he began life on his own account it was as a teacher
in the public schools, a vocation which he followed for eight years,
becoming known as an efficient and popular educator. At that time he
was given his first elective office by his fellow-citizens, who chose
him as county clerk of Red River County, and in that capacity served
two years, then returning to his labors as a school teacher for four
more years.

On leaving the school room Mr. Pope turned his attention to
mercantile pursuits, having been the proprietor of establishments at
Clarksville, Texas, Mena, Arkansas, and Heavener, Oklahoma. He is
naturally a good business man, with ability as a trader, and no doubt
his success as a merchant would have been much greater were it not
for ill health. Mr. Pope came to Heavener in 1907, and when the new
waterworks were established he was chosen as superintendent of the
system, a position which he filled with credit for one and one-half
years. He entered upon his duties as postmaster of Heavener, in April
1915, having been appointed to that office by President Wilson. His
services therein have been entirely satisfactory and have gone a long
way toward improving the service of the office. Mr. Pope is a staunch
democrat in politics, in fraternal relations is a Master Mason, and
in religious faith a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, of which for twenty years he has been a member of the board of
stewards.

Mr. Pope was married in 1903 to Miss Valeria A. BACHMAN, and to this
union there have been born two children: Katy and Maxey, the latter
being deceased.

Typed for OKGenWeb by: Earline Sparks Barger, December 19, 1998.